1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phosphorous flame retardant and a method for producing the same, and to an application of the flame retardant of phosphazene-poly(oxyalkylene)amine adducts to a polymer.
2. Related Prior Arts
Currently, to increase the flame retardant property of polymers, an inorganic or organic flame retardant is added therein. The inorganic flame retardant such as metal oxides or hydroxides, can be directly added; and the organic flame retardant such as compounds containing halogen, can be used in synthesis. However, the flame retardant containing halogen will produce corrosive and toxic hydrogen halide gases which perhaps generate dioxin at high temperatures. Therefore, the products containing halogen are forbidden in most areas or fields, and replaced with specific chemicals containing phosphorus. In Taiwan, it's important to develop environmentally friendly and economic flame retardants for application to electrical industries to replace conventional materials such as brominated epoxy.
The phosphorous flame retardant possesses the following characteristics:    a) it lowers the burning temperature because of dehydration of polymers;    b) when heated, phosphoric acid is released to carbonate polymers and form an inflammable carbon layer;    c) the released phosphoric acid can further dehydrate to form glass melt which can cover the burning object to prevent oxygen from entering and volatile matter from releasing; and    d) lower toxicity, better processing property, less smoke and good capacity with epoxy.
Therefore, properties of thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers could be improved by mixing with the above retardant during synthesis. To easily react with polymers, the retardant having —OH or —NH2 functional group will be preferred and selected.
In addition to enhancing the flame retardant property of polymers, the phosphorous flame retardant of the present invention is expected to also improve their mechanical properties.